Comment by jamiecurle
11 hours ago
As well as a software person I'm an arborist as a side hustle. I love bonsai and I have started a few off myself in my garden (technically this makes them 'niwaki' - in garden, rather than 'bonsai' - in a pot. I went with scots pine (Pinus sylvestris, Wych Elm - Ulnus glabra and Quercus robur - english oak) as they're all native to where I live.
But I am somewhat conflicted because as awesome as they look, all that aesthetic comes from doing the exact opposite of what a tree needs. Deliberate wounding at non-meristematic sites to create deadwood, binding roots into and using wires to manipulate the structure and keeping the tree at a juvenile isolated state. Basically it would make Alex Shigo shudder in his grave.
That being said, if anyone is in their twenties and looking for a nice future hustle pension, then start off some bonsais today. In forty years, if you can keep them going, with a hundred or so you could be sitting on 300K plus of stock. The trees will teach you a lot (notwithstanding the above sentiment on treating them brutally) in terms of patience, planning and delight in aesthetic.
I think it's a mixed bag. In some ways you are manipulating the tree in a way that could be harmful (trimming, putting in small pots, wiring etc). But in other ways you end up providing much more care and attention to your bonsai than you would for another tree.
As a beginner you probably will accidentally kill some trees though.
I don't really have space to grow 5 Cyprus and Juniper trees, and my landlord probably wouldn't appreciate it... but I can care for a dozen bonsai.
If you are in your twenties and "start off some bonsais today" then in 20 years you will start to know what you are doing and then you can start off "good ones" ;)
Yes, the best time to plant a tree....
...is the camera you have with you.